Cocaine charges filed

Deputies seized more than four pounds of cocaine in a traffic stop Saturday on eastbound Interstate 80 near Coalville, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

The deputy stopped the car after Heber resident Luis Mendiola made several improper lane changes, according to Josh Wall, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

"The deputy’s conversation with the driver seemed suspicious and the deputy asked the driver for permission to search the vehicle," a press release from the Sheriff’s Office states.

Mendiola granted permission to search his car. Deputies found the cocaine inside a special compartment installed behind the rear bumper, Wall said in the prepared statement.

Mendiola was charged in 3rd District Court Wednesday with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, which is a second-degree felony. The suspect is also charged with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, and two class C misdemeanors for failure to signal a lane change and driving without a driver license.